Classic Stage Company Presents A DOCTOR IN SPITE OF HIMSELF Reading Today

Classic Stage Company, under the leadership of Artistic Director Brian Kulick and Executive Director Greg Reiner, will present a private reading of a new musical comedy A DOCTOR IN SPITE OF HIMSELF by Sheldon Harnick, based on Molière's LE MÉDECIN MALGRÉ LUI, on Friday, February 1 at MTC Studios. The musical features a score by Harnick, as well as English Adaptation and Additional Dialogue. The reading will be directed by David Glenn Armstrong, with musical direction by Amanda Morton. The cast will feature Ben Davis, Beth Fowler, David Garrison, Cady Huffman, Charles Kimbrough, Jose Llana, Patrick Richwood, Robb Sapp and Elena Shaddow.

Sheldon Harnick's musical theatre career began in the 1950s with songs (e.g. "The Boston Beguine," "Merry Little Minuet") in revues on and Off-Broadway. In 1957 he teamed with Jerry Bock to create the scores for a number of memorable musicals including Fiorello (Tony Award, Pulitzer Prize), She Loves Me (Grammy), Fiddler on the Roof (Tony), The Rothschilds and The Apple Tree. His other musicals include Rex (with Richard Rodgers), A Wonderful Life (Joe Raposo), A Christmas Carol (Michel Legrand), The Phantom Tollbooth (Arnold Black and co-librettist Norton Juster) and Dragons (for which he wrote book, lyrics and music). He has contributed songs to the films The Heartbreak Kid, Blame It on Rio (Cy Coleman) and Aaron's Magic Village (Legrand). In the world of opera, he has provided librettos for Jack Beeson's Cyrano, Dr. Heidegger's Fountain of Youth and Captain Jinks of the Horse Marines, Henry Mollicone's Coyote Tales and Thomas Z. Shepard's Love in Two Countries. Mr. Harnick has won two Tony Awards, two Grammy Awards, three gold records and a platinum record. He is a longtime member of the Dramatists Guild and Songwriters Guild.

David Glenn Armstrong (Director) has staged over 160 productions and workshops seen in 49 states including work at the New York Shakespeare Festival, Walnut Street, Manhattan Theatre Club, Long Wharf, Goodspeed Opera, Library of Congress, Chicago Humanities Festival, Amas, HERE, NYMF, Arkansas Rep, Anchorage Opera, Pacific Rep Opera, and the Iowa Shakespeare Festival. He has previously directed presentations of Sheldon Harnick's A Doctor in Spite of Himself at the William Inge Festival and the York Theatre. David directed the first-ever revivals of Jerry Bock, Sheldon Harnick, and Joe Stein's The Body Beautiful (and co-produced the original cast recording), Arlen/Gershwin/Harburg's Life Begins at 8:40, Lerner & Loewe's The Day Before Spring, Jones & Schmidt's Roadside, Lindsay & Crouse's Happy Hunting, and a revised version of Joe Stein's Plain and Fancy. In addition, David has directed premieres by Jonathan Larson, Lamont Dozier, Ed Dixon, Sam Davis, Jack Lechner, Steven Fisher, Joan Ross Sorkin, Rich Orloff, Judith Steir, Jack Gindi, Bill Zeffiro, Lanie Bernes, and Si Kahn. www.DavidGlennArmstrong.com